[masraum]

We need a new water heater. What we have now is a 40Gal 4500W traditional water heater.

We are thinking about getting propane. We could then convert the stove to propane, and heat the water with propane, and maybe even go to propane for heat.

If we went to propane, we are wondering about going tankless.

I'm also wondering, if we stick with electric, going with one of the "hybrid high efficiency" electric water heaters (heat pump).

We are on well water (hard). I have heard that tankless can be more maintenance intensive in that case, but then in a thread in the last 24 hours, I saw someone post about the maintenance for running vinegar through them. It doesn't sound that bad.

We are generally a very warm environment so I think that the hybrid should work pretty well for us. How do they work in the winter if the temp gets down to 20-35º? It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

Any thoughts on the efficiency difference between the 3? The hybrids are supposed to be very efficient. How would tankless propane compare? I presume it would be favorable.

Thanks